coastrider

Monday, 2 March 2015

Sunday morning i headed back up the Lammermuir hills with Francis and Tessa with the Endurance horses for a loop around Monynut and Crystal Rig forest, a 5 minute wheel swap back to 29+ wheels for some XC riding, and it was a clear blue sky morning again!, but with a storm force gale raging which combined with the climb out of Aikengall made me wonder how folk ride 1x10 gear systems on bikes as i crawled up the 2km muddy access road dropping in places to the 22-36 tooth 1st gear ratio as the windy head on blasts nearly stopped me, meanwhile the horses trotted up the hill at their usual pace the riders unaware of this grind...

Over the hill and down hill there was not much freewheeling with the headwind!, and we crossed onto the public road into Monynut...

Off road motorbikes been up here a lot...

Those gates you never see getting used at cattle grids, getting used...

Into Crystal Rig forest and a real boggy section , cut up by the motorbikes it was a challenge in places to keep cycling, but deft easier on the 29+ tyres than a regular MTB would be...

Again another blue sky Sunday!...

Onto forest roads, the bike flying ahead on the descents out that gale force wind...

Then a longer climb where the horses trotted on ahead again...

I soon caught and passed the horses as we descended on a great track where i waited at a gate for the horses to arrive...

Francis re rode back up as she said long climbs like this was great training for the Endurance horses...

I soaked up the view and had a breather...

Along to Monynut forest...

Mowgli still following and checking behind!...

Not been through Monynut for a while, been some forestry work going on...

The decent through the forest is ace on a bike and the KramPug`s big wheels once rolling was flying down the forest road and i tore ahead of the horses and flew down the hill until gravity slowed me on one of two climbs, you can see some of this descent in the film i shot,
Natural re generation going on here...

Out onto the road and tired legs enjoyed a push up the hill into the head wind that was roaring down the Vally as a sleet shower blew over...

As expected the temperature dropped quickly as the cold sleet/snow whiteout hit us, glad it was on our backs as we climbed back over the hill...

Then as soon as it arrived the sky was clear again!..

Glad to be heading back to the car after that cold downpour, cold hands and a bitter cold wind chill now!...

Was a hard workout into that wind but rewarding descents on the bike, again the bike flys ahead on the descents but the horses make the climbs look easy,
The 29+ wheels are ideal for this type of riding, less drag than hauling 4" Fat tyres and these things roll and roll smoothing out the rough roads...

A usual Sunday evening post ride Cider pic in front of a warming stove... tonight truing a wheel i re laced having swapped some rear hubs, more of that in a bit...

Here is a wee film i quickly edited from some Go Pro footage of today's ride,
Song is `New Shoes` by Phontaine

Saturday, 28 February 2015

Took Mowgli to Peffersands and Tyninghame this morning for a couple of hours,
Coastal erosion is something you often see on the News, and it can be seen on our coastline here in East Lothian, i see more movement of sand as it is blown over rocks and grassland, and the dunes to the south of the Peffer burn have definitely grown in size over the last 2 winters!

This area here was all sand blown last year and the Marram grass has grown through, and the whole area is noticeably higher...

And a whole load of new paths have been created through this rising dune system!...

I struggled a bit on the Pugsley to keep moving but on the big Moonlander i will be able to cycle right along the top paths created to the big crater and dunes...

Mowgli was enjoying bombing about!...

WW2 `Coastal Crust` defences dumped now exposed in the dunes...

Barbed wire...

More sand has blown up the dunes here too...

Mowgli found a squeaky ball!...

Apart from the Marram grass wrapping through the rear mech you could nearly ride right along the top of the dunes now all the way from the Peffer burn to Ravensheugh in the distance... need to give it a go with the Alfine hub Pugsley!...

Down on the beach and Mowgli headed for the surf...

Then back up the dunes! as i rode along the beach...

And around the headland...

Along the secret trail and out to Mosshouse Point...

Lol!

Cheese!!! the smiling Spaniel!...

Back through the woods and secret trail again before back to the car, past the remains of this old MTB,

About Me

I live in East Lothian, S.E. Scotland.
I fill my time with my hobbies, interests and passions. Often cycling along the coast here. I like to enjoy all interests of the coast, Its scenery, wildlife, local history, with my other interests in art and music when out and about...
Please excuse the bad grammar, i am working on it!
email; coastkid71 AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk